


Longing

by Baxter54132, flipomatic



Series: AB (After Breakup) [5]
Category: Adventure Time
Genre: Canon Compliant, F/F, They still love each other, repairing relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-19
Updated: 2020-12-19
Packaged: 2021-03-11 04:55:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,019
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28179468
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Baxter54132/pseuds/Baxter54132, https://archiveofourown.org/users/flipomatic/pseuds/flipomatic
Summary: All it takes is the right spark, the right trigger, for the two of them to come crashing back together.
Relationships: Princess Bubblegum/Marceline
Series: AB (After Breakup) [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2033209
Comments: 5
Kudos: 80





	Longing

**Author's Note:**

> This is the final entry into the After Breakup Series. The Marceline half is written by Bax and the Bonnie half is written by flipomatic. Thank you for joining us on this journey.

**504 AB - Marceline**

“Now I guess we get to hang out together forever.” Marceline says the line so casually, it slides right off her tongue.

Bonnie’s reaction, needless to say, is not what Marceline expected. In a good way. The princess’s cheeks tinge red, as if the thought hadn’t even occurred to her until that point, their eyes maintaining gentle contact. She hasn’t seen that blush in years and it makes her heart sing. Marceline smiles at Bonnie warmly, and if Finn and Jake weren’t present she’d probably cradle Bonnie’s hands in her own. As is, she holds herself back, though her fingertips twitch at the thought.

Bonnie looks away, and though the spell is broken Marceline still feels like she’s in a trance. The group excuses themselves and leaves, each wishing Marceline well on their way out the door.

As soon as the door shuts all the remaining adrenaline drains from her body. She quickly floats upstairs and collapses on her bed, shutting off all lights as she goes. “Ughh,” she lets out a low groan and settles firmly into her pillow, turning to face the empty space on the other side of her bed. She kind of wanted Bonnie to stay longer but hadn’t had the courage or strength to ask. It’s been a long time since she felt so strongly towards the princess. The feeling excites her and terrifies her simultaneously. She wants to think things through further but exhaustion tugs at her and she falls into an easy sleep.

* * *

Despite turning down the offer to move to the Candy Kingdom, Marceline finds herself a frequent visitor of the castle. Prior to the King of Ooo’s rule, she probably visited once every other month. Now, with recent events, she finds herself floating there nearly every other morning to visit Bonnie.

She always has a reason of course; or maybe an excuse is a better word. Since becoming a vampire again, the desire to see Bonnie is growing. With each visit to the kingdom her hunger to return expands upon itself, and Marceline is just along for the ride.

Her ‘reasons’ vary from helping with science experiments, doing errand runs for the princess, or simply showing up to guard the castle, “Just in case Lemongrab shows up.” Which of course he never does. Bonnie never shuns her away, never rebukes her like she used to in their previous relationship. The acceptance of her presence fills Marceline with unspeakable joy, and she starts to crave that feeling. She goes out of her way to make the princess happy, always trying to make her laugh.

Honestly, Bonnie’s laughs are like an energy supply to her, she can’t get enough. She could probably live off those laughs instead of red, and if she goes a few days without seeing Bonnie it really does feel like she’s dying.

Marceline shows up so much to the castle that Bonnie jokes that she’s like Finn, always the first to step up for her, like a loyal night.

Marceline doesn’t mind the comparison.

One day, while Bonnie is working on a science experiment Marceline peruses through Bonnie’s closet. There’s a certain article of clothing that she saw on Bonnie once that she loves. It only takes a minute before she locates it, a white sweater with two stripes. Bonnie had looked so cute in this sweater, Marceline mentally recalls the image. She draws the sweater up to her nose and inhales deeply, Bonnie’s sugary sweet scent overtaking her.

Yes, this will do, she stuffs the sweater into the bag she brought that day and returns to Bonnie who is none the wiser. She has so much clothing, surely, she won’t miss the one shirt.

* * *

Marceline feels a bit guilty pulling it out of her bag when she gets home, but the sweater looks good on her when she tries it on later that night.

She breaths in Bonnie’s scent again, closing her eyes and imaging that she’s in the pink teen’s embrace. She hugs her arms around herself tightly and exhales slowly. She can practically hear Bonnie whisper nothings in her ear, her hot breath tickling against her cheek, one hand trailing down her side.

Her eyes flutter open as she’s brought back to reality. She pulls the sweater over her head and tosses it onto the bed with a low sigh. What is she thinking? She and Bonnie are in a good place right now, they are speaking again and they are finally getting along. Here she comes, about to ruin it with these _feelings._

No, bottle it down Marceline. That chance was blown 500 years ago. Now is the time to be friends, but nothing more. Bonnie doesn’t feel that way anymore, and Marceline doesn’t deserve her. She sits down on her bed, once again scooping up the sweater to cradle it in her arms.

* * *

**504 AB – Bubblegum**

When Bubblegum started to build the equipment that could turn Marceline back into a human, she thought she was prepared for what that meant. She knew that Marceline would grow old and eventually die, she even said as much before flipping the switch.

But when Marceline collapsed, the green poison spreading rapidly through her now mortal body, reality slapped Bubblegum hard across the face. She was not prepared for this.

As she had carried Marceline back to the Candy Kingdom, fighting tears along the way, she cursed her own damn pride. All of this was happening because of her science; she just hoped that it wasn’t too late to save Marceline. The King of Ooo wasn’t even worth her time; getting Marceline to safety was more important.

When it turned out Peppermint Butler’s technique didn’t work, the only hope was to wait for Finn and Jake to bring the Moon vampire. Bubblegum sat with Marceline while they waited, unable to leave her side.

When the boys crashed through the wall, Bubblegum grabbed her to take her to safety. She held her close, crying and trying to wake her up. Though they had broken up hundreds of years before, and spent most of that time not speaking, Bubblegum had never been so afraid that she would lose Marceline.

There weren’t sufficient words to describe the terror she felt as she clutched a slowly dying Marceline to her chest, tears dripping slowly onto her face.

Luckily, Peppermint Butler had come through with the giant stake, and Marceline was able to absorb the healing powers. Bubblegum almost cried again in relief when she saw the green streaks fading beneath her skin.

She talked with Marceline later about what had happened, but she didn’t admit how scared she’d been. Bubblegum didn’t want to burden Marceline with those feelings. She was just glad to have her alive and well, at least for the time being.

When Marceline defeated the spirit of the Vampire King, returning to her immortal form, part of Bubblegum was glad. Once again, they would both be ageless together.

Even after that though, after the danger was passed, Bubblegum didn’t want to let Marceline out of her sight. She didn’t want to let her go again.

So, she invited her to live in the Candy Kingdom. It had been a rash decision, one that immediately sent a wave of nerves through her.

As expected, Marceline turned her down. Even when they dated before, she had never lived fully in the castle. She was a wanderer, and besides, she had a lot to think about after the events of the last couple days.

Then, when Marceline commented about how they could hang out together forever, Bubblegum couldn’t help but flush pink. Old feelings, ones she had tried to bury out behind the castle, were stirring.

There was nothing Bubblegum wanted more.

They soon left Marceline at her house, with her thoughts and a pile of red stuff. Bubblegum returned to her castle, ready to finally retake back what was hers. She soon fell back into old routines, though she tried to be a better ruler for the candy citizens.

Recognizing her own hubris had been a start, but she had a long way to go.

Bubblegum thought about rebuilding her Uncle’s cabin, but decided not to in the end. Yes, it would be a good place to escape to for some time away from the kingdom, but there was a better place to go.

Instead, Bubblegum went often to visit Marceline. The house she built in the cave was small, but cozy. It was a great place to get away from the hustle and bustle of the kingdom. After all, Marceline had told her only half the pizza should be business. If Bubblegum got to pick, most of the personal half would be filled with Marceline.

Marceline frequently came to the Candy Kingdom too. She offered to help with jobs and just hung out. Bubblegum always enjoyed her visits, loved having her around.

In the end, it was more like one quarter of the pizza with the other three quarters still dedicated to business, but that was all Bubblegum needed. She often went to visit Marceline, sometimes bringing an instrument with her to play.

Today was one such day. Bubblegum texted Marceline to see if she was free to jam, and got an enthusiastic yes in response. With a smile, Bubblegum packed up her electric keyboard and strapped it over one shoulder.

When she reached Marceline’s house, the vampire let her in. Marceline already had an amp set up, one that looked quite familiar to Bubblegum.

“You still have this?” Bubblegum asked, crouching down to examine the amp more closely. On the front was very familiar handwriting, her own.

Marceline’s cheeks turned pink, a sight that sent Bubblegum’s heart racing. “It’s a great amp.” She grumbled defensively.

“Yeah, yeah.” Bubblegum stood up and moved away from the amp, taking out her keyboard to set it up. She put it on the stand, and then turned it on. The interface lit up, with Bubblegum selecting a regular piano sound for today.

Marceline floated to the amp and plugged her bass in. She plucked the strings, tuning one of them.

Bubblegum tested a few of the keys, her fingers more hesitant against them than she wanted. She’d been practicing lately, trying to get used to playing the piano with her fingers rather than with a ruler and hammer. Last time she’d played like that in front of Marceline, her friend had laughed for ten minutes straight.

“Ready?” Marceline asked, having finished tuning.

Bubblegum nodded, and the two started to play.

This wasn’t something they’d done before, before they broke up. It used to be that Marceline would play and Bubblegum would listen. But now, they could play together.

Bubblegum tapped her toe with the beat, as she’d practiced. Together they weaved a song, a story, a connection.

When the last note faded, the last echoes of it ringing in the air, Bubblegum looked over at Marceline.

Her eyes were locked on Bubblegum, wide and unreadable. She inhaled sharply, and then let the breath out slowly.

Bubblegum couldn’t look away from her, couldn’t break the eye contact between them. She wanted to say something, didn’t know what to say. She wanted to lean over and kiss her. To pull her into her arms, to start their relationship anew.

No, she couldn’t.

Everything Bubblegum had now, this friendship they’d somehow managed to reform, if she did that then she’d be throwing it all away. She couldn’t handle that heartbreak again.

Bubblegum tore her eyes away, snapping the room back to life.

Marceline’s cheeks were pink again. “You’ve improved a lot.” She plucked a few notes on her bass, replicating the song they’d just created together.

“I’ve been practicing.”

Bubblegum soon left the house, piano once again slung on her back.

She would keep practicing, keep longing.

* * *

**505 AB**

When it finally happened, it felt like they’d been dancing around each other forever.

All it took was the right spark, the right event, to send them crashing back into each other’s arms.

“I don’t want to lose you again.”

They never would.


End file.
